To the chagrin of many people I’m sure, Limp Bizkit is back with a new album after 6 years. Let’s cut to the chase: it’s a Limp Bizkit album through and through so it’s not going to win over any of the people that have hated them. To be honest I think they have just about everyone to win over because it’s been so long since the band was popular. They didn’t leave on top in 2005 when Unquestionable Truth broke up the band, leaving the impression of 2003’s Results May Vary (which wasn’t well received) the last material many have heard.
I’ll go straight to the good stuff. There are a lot of terrific ideas on this album musically. Wes Borland is a fantastic guitar player and he really came up some cool shit on here. Bassist Sam Rivers and drummer John Otto roll around with him perfectly, they keep pace and run with Wes’ riffs really well on much of the album. DJ Lethal sounds like he’s more in the background here throwing in some sound effects and breaks here and there.
Now the bad. Fred Durst. To the point, his amateur lyrics. I’m not a Durst hater, I genuinely like his voice and he hasn’t done anything wrong to me personally so I have nothing to hold against him. But good lord, does he write some garbage. The most basic rhymes you can think of, references that really don’t make sense and he just can’t get far enough from the meathead rap play book.
It’s like running down the Durst checklist: stupid fighting shit, frat boy nonsense, trying to write another “Breakstuff”. All the things that were popular for the band can be remade! Well, no. More than a decade since the bands hay day, you’d think Durst would be able to grow up. This stuff coming out of the mouth of a 40 something year old is just really goofy.A choice bit from “Douche Bag”:
Douche Bag! I’m a fuck you up. Douche Bag. I’m a fuck you up.
fuck you fuck you fuck you up.
That’s basically the chorus and they end the song with that repeating for almost 50 seconds. Who in the studio thought that was a good idea? It’s annoying AND lazy. Fred loves name dropping his own band. Still! He still loves doing this shit:
John Otto! Break it on down!
That’s right!
Ladies and gentleman!
Once again… Limp Bizkit!
…in case anyone forgot what band they were listening to.
From “90.2.10” we get the party angle, with an awkward reference AND the self name drop:
Corey Taylor got a harem chasin him around.
We ain’t slippin with his knot, then we goin down.
But it doesn’t got this lovin comin at me.
Ain’t nothin new cause I’m rollin with the LB!
What does that Slipknot reference even mean? Another weird ass reference with a side shot of 8 year old rhyming from “Gold Cobra”:
Feelin Korn going blind
Free as hell doin’ time
I’m insane can’t complain
Flush you turds down the drain
Now it’s not all misery. “Why Try” has some good music behind it and tolerable lyrics. “Get A Life” has an awesome break down at 2:30. Such a cool guitar/bass/drum groove. “Shotgun” starts generic but at :48 this simple, catchy, creative riff kicks in with the appropriate bounce and thump beat from Sam and John.
The songs that are on the slower side are the best. “Walking Away”, “Loser”, “My Own Cobain” and “Angels” are real stand outs. “Angels” in particular is one of my favorites. These songs are where Fred takes more of a singing approach. There is much more careful thought to the lyrics, they sound sincere and honest. His lyrics and voice mesh perfectly with the music allowing the creativity of the band to come together without any stupidity getting in the way. It’s much more enjoyable to listen to. There’s even some metal like screaming at parts which work well. The rap/rock fusion works it’s best in such instances.
I like most of Gold Cobra, but I can’t see this album taking off. The time for this music might simply be over and the toxic end the band had leaves no favors out there for the band to reach out for in the public.